We love the Geländewagen for its anachronistic look, completely unnecessary performance and for managing to be the car of choice for both Britney Spears and the freaking Pope. Need we say more? And while a B-lister may be able to roll in a G500, the true celeb wants the 507 HP G55 version because 0-to-60 in 5.5 seconds is better. Than what? Who cares. It's just better. "I'll pay for it. In cash. Oh, it's $190,000 (w/tax)? Can you throw in some accessories to put it above $200K? I never pay less than $200K for a car that's not for my nanny." Press release below the jump.

Already one of the most overpriced and unnecessary vehicles on sale, the 2009 Mercedes G-Wagen is…
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Classic with Added Appeal Affalterbach — Following its most recent makeover, the G 55 AMG from Mercedes-AMG is now even more attractive. Boasting an upgraded performance of 373 kW/507 hp, this offroad classic has also been given a fresh look, incorporating a reworked radiator grille and new 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels. Inside, the exclusive interior features the latest generation of telematics equipment and optional climatised seats in combination with designo leather upholstery for enhanced passenger comfort. The inclusion of some of the latest technology has made this classic from the AMG stable fit for the future. Thanks to the integration of a new engine control unit, the performance of the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine has been nudged up from 368 kW/500 hp to 373 kW/507 hp, with maximum torque remaining at 700 Nm. Likewise unchanged is the vehicle's effortless performance, with the G 55 AMG accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and peaking at a top speed of 210 km/h (electronically limited). The upgraded G 55 AMG also features improvements in the areas of safety and comfort. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®), for example, now boasts a new and more powerful control unit, incorporating a transverse acceleration control to allow more precise recognition of dynamic driving situations and thus provide even better vehicle stability. In addition, the new G 55 AMG now comes with a hill-start assist. A sensor recognises whenever the off-roader comes to a halt on an ascending gradient. The system instantly memorises the braking pressure applied and maintains this for a short instant, giving drivers sufficient time to move from the brake to the accelerator pedal without the vehicle rolling backward. The big advantage of this technology is that in most cases it eliminates the need to use the parking brake.

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Discreet but effective design modifications

The new G 55 AMG boasts discreet but effective design modifications, including
a new radiator grille with three distinctive horizontal bars that are painted the
same colour as the rest of the body and — exclusive to the AMG top-of-the-range
model — also feature chrome inserts. Moving around the vehicle, the highlight of
the side view are the new polished 19-inch five-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels
painted titanium grey. They are 9.5 inches wide and equipped with 275/55 R 19
tyres that impressively bulk out the wheel arches.

Still a standard feature of the AMG body-styling package are the bumpers painted
in body colour and the characteristic AMG wide fenders. Other features include a
brushed-aluminium trim set boasting a distinctive AMG logo and the twin oval
chrome tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system, emerging from beneath the
stainless-steel running boards on either side of the vehicle — an unmistakable
sign of the power of the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine.

New COMAND APS and designo leather upholstery fitted as standard

The G 55 AMG also underscores its exclusive character with designo leather
upholstery, which is standard and now features a new silver-coloured designo
emblem on the front backrests. The seats are colour-coordinated with the designo
decorative wood trim as well as the wood/leather steering wheel and the
redesigned wood/leather selector lever bearing a G 55 logo. Also new is the
interior roof lining made of anthracite Alcantara. Helping to enhance passenger
comfort, particularly in the summer months, are the new climatised seats, which
are available for the first time with this model.

Drivers of the new G 55 AMG will also benefit from the latest generation of
telematics equipment developed by Mercedes. The standard equipment COMAND
APS system boasts a high-definition 6.5-inch colour display, rapid HDD navigation
with aerial view, LINGUATRONIC for controlling audio, navigation and phone
systems, a 4 GB memory for music files, and a slot for SD memory cards. Also available as an option is a DVD changer and a universal interface for plugging
in USB sticks, iPods, or other external audio devices.

The G 55 AMG is only available as a long-wheelbase station wagon with
five doors. The vehicle will be available from September 2008 at a price of
121,618 euros (incl. 19 percent sales tax).